Queensland Art Gallery
Encyclopedia
The Queensland Art Gallery (formerly Queensland National Art Gallery) is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre
, and is located nearest to Brisbane River
at South Bank
. The Queensland Art Gallery is adjacent to the Queensland Museum
and is Queensland's premier visual arts institution and a leading art museum nationally.
-designed Queensland Cultural Centre
.
The outdoor feature pool, called the Watermall, is extended to the inside of the building, as a special feature within the building.
As well as having a permanent display of fine paintings and sculptures, the Queensland Art Gallery also holds many art exhibitions, by both international and national artists.
Occasionally, concerts are held at the Queensland Art Gallery. The Queensland Art Gallery also has a cafe which is open to the public.
The Queensland Art Gallery is a 4700 square metre display space broken down with walls and barriers that interchange between the art world and the public. The walls have been placed purposely to create flow and change of course of the viewer’s journey. The primary orientation element of the Gallery’s design is the Watermall that separates the tranquil environment of the exhibition galleries from the proactive environments of the administration, education and library areas. The varying ceilings heights and floor levels, colour and textured surfaces enhance variety and define the sequence of display areas yet it does not assist with clearly identifying the main public entrance for it can be a mystery to find. Here the design fails as the element of greatest importance for a major public building is not adequately addressed. Nonetheless, the entrance foyer efficiently acts as a hub for the public circulation and main access point for arrivals and departures for all visitors where they are able to select which collections they plan to visit. The buildings use of light coloured and maintenance free materials such as cement reflect and adapt to the Mediterranean- like quality of Brisbane’s sub tropical climate.
, which was opened at Kurilpa Point on 2 December 2006, complements the Queensland Art Gallery. Only 200 metres away and linked by a public plaza, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art will focus on the art of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
To ensure all Queenslanders have access to the Collection, travelling exhibitions tour to regional and remote centres of the state.
Queensland Cultural Centre
The Queensland Cultural Centre is a multi-venue centre located at South Bank, Brisbane, capital city of Queensland. It consists of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre , the Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland , the Queensland Art Gallery and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art...
, and is located nearest to Brisbane River
Brisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
at South Bank
South Bank, Queensland
South Bank is a cultural, educational and recreational precinct in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The precinct is located in the suburb of South Brisbane, on the southern bank of the Brisbane River.-South Bank Parklands:...
. The Queensland Art Gallery is adjacent to the Queensland Museum
Queensland Museum
The Queensland Museum is the state museum of Queensland. The museum currently operates four separate campuses; at South Brisbane, Ipswich, Toowoomba and Townsville.The museum is funded by the State Government of Queensland.-History:...
and is Queensland's premier visual arts institution and a leading art museum nationally.
Background
The Gallery's philosophy is to connect art and people. It is a symbol of the State’s artistic and cultural development and has human qualities and unique attractions which encourage people to visit the collections.History
The Gallery was established in 1895 as the Queensland National Art Gallery. Throughout its early history the Gallery was housed in a series of temporary premises, and did not have a permanent home until the opening of its current architecturally-acclaimed building on Brisbane's South Bank in 1982, the first stage of the monumental Robin GibsonRobin Gibson
Robin Gibson is an Australian architect, from Brisbane, Queensland.-Personal life:Robin Gibson was an Architecture student at the University of Queensland, and graduated with a Diploma of Architecture in 1954. During his years in university, he worked in a number of architectural offices in...
-designed Queensland Cultural Centre
Queensland Cultural Centre
The Queensland Cultural Centre is a multi-venue centre located at South Bank, Brisbane, capital city of Queensland. It consists of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre , the Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland , the Queensland Art Gallery and the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art...
.
Overview
Since opening, the Gallery's Collection, exhibitions, audiences and programs have grown in size, complexity and diversity. To cater for the community's future needs, during the 1990s the Gallery embarked on extensive research and wide consultation, resulting in the concept of a second building.The outdoor feature pool, called the Watermall, is extended to the inside of the building, as a special feature within the building.
As well as having a permanent display of fine paintings and sculptures, the Queensland Art Gallery also holds many art exhibitions, by both international and national artists.
Occasionally, concerts are held at the Queensland Art Gallery. The Queensland Art Gallery also has a cafe which is open to the public.
Design
The Queensland Art Gallery was considered to be a building of its time for it incorporated the best techniques and materials available within the economic limits of the project. It was also the first major building to be built on the south side of the river adjacent to the new Victoria Bridge, which established a benchmark of scale and quality for future buildings.The Queensland Art Gallery is a 4700 square metre display space broken down with walls and barriers that interchange between the art world and the public. The walls have been placed purposely to create flow and change of course of the viewer’s journey. The primary orientation element of the Gallery’s design is the Watermall that separates the tranquil environment of the exhibition galleries from the proactive environments of the administration, education and library areas. The varying ceilings heights and floor levels, colour and textured surfaces enhance variety and define the sequence of display areas yet it does not assist with clearly identifying the main public entrance for it can be a mystery to find. Here the design fails as the element of greatest importance for a major public building is not adequately addressed. Nonetheless, the entrance foyer efficiently acts as a hub for the public circulation and main access point for arrivals and departures for all visitors where they are able to select which collections they plan to visit. The buildings use of light coloured and maintenance free materials such as cement reflect and adapt to the Mediterranean- like quality of Brisbane’s sub tropical climate.
Queensland Gallery of Modern Art
The Queensland Gallery of Modern ArtQueensland Gallery of Modern Art
The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art is part of the Queensland Cultural Centre at the South Bank area of South Brisbane. It holds most of Queensland Art Gallery's contemporary works, while also being the joint host to the current Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art...
, which was opened at Kurilpa Point on 2 December 2006, complements the Queensland Art Gallery. Only 200 metres away and linked by a public plaza, the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art will focus on the art of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art
The Gallery's flagship project is the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art series of exhibitions, now a major event on the national and international arts calendar. The expertise developed over the past decade in staging the Triennial has led to the establishment of the Australian Centre of Asia-Pacific Art (ACAPA), to foster alliances, scholarship and publishing, and the formation of an internationally significant collection of art from the Asia-Pacific region.Indigenous art
Similarly, the Gallery is committed to profiling Indigenous Australian art and strengthening relationships with Queensland's Indigenous communities.Art for children
The Gallery is also recognised as an international leader in presenting innovative museum-based learning programs for children. These programs are coordinated through the Children's Art Centre. Developing youth audiences for visual art is another priority for the Gallery and this is achieved through programs such as the annual Prime event.To ensure all Queenslanders have access to the Collection, travelling exhibitions tour to regional and remote centres of the state.
Collection
The gallery's collection includes a number of significant works, including:- Portrait of Archibald MestonArchibald MestonArchibald Meston was an Australian politician, civil servant, journalist, naturalist and explorer.-Personal Life:Archibald Meston was born 26 March 1851 at Towie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the son of Alexander Meston....
by B.E. Minns, donated by public subscription in 1936 - "Under the Jacaranda" by Richard Godfrey RiversRichard Godfrey RiversRichard Godfrey Rivers was an English artist, active in Australia and president of the Queensland Art Society from 1892-1901 and 1904-08....
(1905) - "Equestrian self portrait" by William Robinson, winner of the 1987 Archibald Prize
- "Self-portrait with stunned mullet" by William Robinson, winner of the 1995 Archibald Prize
- "Creation landscape – earth and sea", by William Robinson, winner of the 1996 Wynne Prize
Management structure
The Gallery's governing body is a Board of Trustees appointed by the Queensland Government, and it is managed by an Executive Management Team.External links
- Queensland Art Gallery - official website
- Queensland Art Gallery - official exhibitions website
- Queensland Art Gallery information page - official website (includes photo)
- Artitecture award
- Cultural Centre Busway Station map - includes showing position of the Queensland Art Gallery - pdf file